Name: Anika Bausom

Title: User experience and visual designer

Employer, business, school or where I spend my time:
Anika Bausom Creative Design, LLC, UX and visual design consultant
Arizona State University, Enterprise Marketing Hub, qualitative UX researcher
Arizona State University, MS in UX program, graduate student

Member since: 2016

Social Media handles
LinkedIn: anikabausom

How did you get started with AIGA Arizona?
I joined as a student member at Arizona State University in Tempe. A classmate told me AIGA gave out free books. I don’t remember getting a book, but I loved going to events. 

I joined the board a few years later. I’m an introvert, and I would sit in the back at events and go home as soon as they were over. I could see people making great connections, but I was too nervous to go up and talk to them. I figured if I was on the board they’d come to me. It was a really supportive environment to go outside of my comfort zone.

Now that I’m in graduate school, I’m a student member again. This time with the AIGA Poly student group. 

What do you like most about AIGA Arizona?
There is something for everyone no matter where you are in your career. As a student and emerging designer, I attended Adobe workshops and other skill-based events. In-house and UX events encouraged me make a career switch a few years later. Design for Good events fulfill me and make me feel connected to our broader Arizona community. Being on the board gave me leadership experience. Business of Design events have been very helpful as I’ve started my LLC. I even got to explore ethics, a topic I am newly interested in. I practice my speaking and facilitating skills by running a workshop called Future Thinking. Along the way there has always been a group of supportive peers and mentors.

What design event do you look forward to every year?
New ones. I love expanding my skills, learning new methods, and being introduced to new concepts.

What is the superpower you wish you had?
I wish I could read my clients’ minds and feelings. Not all the time! But it would be useful in meetings when I’m trying to understand their needs and goals.

Take a moment to showcase some designers or creatives who you think people should be following and why. (list as many as you want)

1. Jared Spool is one of my UX heroes  https://articles.uie.com/
2. Artefact is a design firm in Seattle focusing on responsible design  https://www.artefactgroup.com/ideas/
3. Matthew Manos founded verynice, a studio that gives half of it’s work pro bono to nonprofits  http://verynice.co/our-model
4. UX Podcast is my current favorite podcast. In addition to having fun accents — British and Swedish — they cover current issues in UX and digital media https://uxpodcast.com/ 

Tell us about your favorite event or moment with AIGA Arizona.

I’ve had the pleasure of being at three CreateAthon events, where we do pro bono design work for local nonprofits. Seeing clients cry with gratitude at the end of a CreateAthon is a special moment. It’s a reminder of how much of an impact we can have through our work.